Bitdefender Total Security 2024 - 5 Devices | 1 year Subscription | PC/Mac | Activation Code by Mail

Product Information

There’s one notable exception, with AV-Comparatives and PassMark finding that Bitdefender had more impact on system speed than average. We didn’t see this on our test PC, but it could be an issue if you’ll be running the app on underpowered hardware. A good free antivirus is a perfectly reasonable option for protecting your PC, with Microsoft Defender now the best we've ever seen it. It’ll do the basics of defending your system well, as any reputable vendor uses the same virus protection engine – the central tech that polices the device and repels malware – as the paid product.

Please note that under heavy scanning with Multi-Layer Ransomware protection, there is a 10-15% negative impact as accepted by industry standards. Bitdefender Premium VPN We were able to launch Task Manager on our Windows device, too, which gave us some opportunities to close parental control components and escape the time limits. But it’s not easy, and if your child is technical and determined enough to make that happen, you’d face similar issues with most parental controls apps.

A powerhouse security suite with premium features for all your devices

Lots of provide a test file called EICAR that simulates a threat that isn't a threat. The problem with relying on this file during testing is that antivirus companies have made sure that their software recognizes it. Using our own bespoke malware helps us evaluate how well these services deal with the unknown. Regain control over your own devices with Microphone Monitor. Use it and you can see what apps have access to your device’s microphone and when. Webcam Protection Receive in-depth information about the type of threats you are protected against, so you know first-hand you’ve made the right choice to safeguard your Android devices. On-Demand & On-Install Scan Performance is a critical consideration during our testing. We need to know how much slowdown is caused by installing and running the antivirus, and how much it's going to impact your day-to-day activities. After all, an antivirus that zaps every threat known to man, but slows your machine down to a crawl, won't be much use to anyone. Avita is very customizable, which is good news if you have some tech-savvy and want to tailor your antivirus experience. New users taking their first steps into the world of web protection might feel overwhelmed by the scope here, and the amount of manual input required, especially compared to a service like Bitdefender that you can, essentially, use right out of the box.

Whether you've mislaid your phone, lost your laptop, or just had a thief take an unfortunate liking to your hardware, Bitdefender's anti-theft service offers a variety of tools to help. Continuous protection so that you never have to worry about your subscription running out before you renew manually; Perhaps more importantly, however, you need to consider your own needs and use case. Do you have a ton of devices to protect? Do you need advanced features or specific tools? Do you want a service with a built-in VPN to save money on subscription fees? Wondering if there are weak points? Well, Trend Micro impacts system performance more than its biggest rivals and doesn't have the same long list of features. The latter isn't entirely negative, of course, seeing as it makes the solution more usable for newcomers. Advanced users won't find a lot to customize, unfortunately. Most of the tools simply toggle on or off. Visit our Malwarebytes review for more insight into its Free and Pro plans, their features, and major differences.

Performance Issues?

You can upgrade to a Premium or Advanced plan, although the Premium offering is somewhat disappointing. Its only advantages over the Essential plan are its system scans (it won't actually do any of the clean-up afterward, however) and unlimited device protection. I'd expect a lot more from a "premium" subscription. The potential weak point with Antivirus Plus comes with device coverage. Now, this plan can cover up to 10 devices – indeed, all the Bitdefender plans mentioned here can – which is impressive on the face of it. However, Antivirus Plus only offers big discounts on lower amounts of hardware (a single device, or three), with larger device numbers not benefiting from any price-cutting, and not having the same value proposition (at least given current pricing – and indeed historically, too, this has been the case). Antivirus applications use what are called virus ‘definitions’ to catch intruders. Think of these as the fingerprints of malware, and if something is spotted coming onto your system that has a matching fingerprint, the antivirus leaps into action, quarantining the offender. As another line of defense, antivirus programs also use what are called ‘heuristics’ that look for any file or process exhibiting suspicious behavior—this allows the app to potentially catch any freshly made malware which isn’t yet in its definitions database.